Lockin' Down the Industry
by xotennisloverxo
Summary: Falling out of the Pokemon circuit, Dawn and Paul have chosen to pursue slightly different careers. Will being in the same paths of life corrupt the businesses they have come to love? Ikarishipping! For SurferGurl14's Contest!


**An ikarishipping one-shot story for SurferGurl14's Contest! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. All rights reserved to the owners. However, I do own the plot of this story and any OC's. Hope anyone who reads it, enjoys it. Don't forget to review!**

**Paul's POV **

*Cuticles cleaned? Check

*Cuticles cut? Check

*Nails colored? Check

*Nails filed? Check

*Lotion applied? Check

*Shaved? Check

Manifesting a life of perfection, versatility, and superficiality, I, Paul Shinji, am a hand model.

In the realm of hand modeling, there is a chasm of excellence between the balance of notoriety and elegance. Given God gifted hands, I have come to the conclusion that this is the profession I was deemed to do-supplying agents with hands to feed into consumerism. Whether being the hands to clean up a mess with super absorbent paper towels or holding a perfume bottle, I do it all. Abnormal? Yes, but abnormal is the new normal.

As a child, I forever clung to the goal of becoming a Pokemon Master. Asinine, just asinine. I know what I really wanted, _superiority_ and _power_. Being in the hand modeling business, I get just that. Despite the hyper-competitive nature of the industry, no one's hands are up to par with mine, therefore I am the **best**. I should of adapted to this lifestyle a long time ago, if it weren't for my stubborn, closed outlook on life before, I could of built my title earlier. But, no matter; at 26, I am immensely successful.

Thinking that my job is easy, is an indication of my will-power. I go to every shoot, every interview, every manicure appointment, and will do practically anything for my job.

Speaking of which, I am now on my way to a photo shoot for a lotion commercial. Nervous? Never, but on this one occasion, I am. Apparently, there is a new model in town, one that could potentially threaten my throne in this industry. According to my agent, she recently switched from coordinating into modeling. Starting out as a fashion model, she thrived. Wanting to expand her career, she opted for the hand modeling business.

Just thinking about it is giving me a headache. Modeling and _hand _modeling are two different things; she's going to come in here thinking she's the shit.

I groaned, I'm just going to **love** this. The worst part is that this girl and I are competing for the same commercial offer. So basically, based off our auditions, the director is going to pick only one of us.

Arriving at my destination, I walked out of my car and into the studio.

Approaching me, my agent, Bradley, spoke, "Hey Paul, doing well I assume?"

"I'm fine, just give me the details on this gig," I snapped.

"Well, the director of the commercial isn't here yet, nether is the other model," he replied.

"Great," I mumbled.

"Alright, since we have some extra time, let's discuss your opponent."

"Don't care," I said as I waved my hand in the air. Sitting down in the studio's loveseat, I groaned. I _hate_ it when people are late. I have a very busy schedule and wasting time isn't on my list of to do things.

Following me, my agent sat down in the opposing chair and sighed, "Well, you should at least know that her name's Dawn Hikari."

"Terrific," I replied back sarcastically. I can really give a shit less what the hell her name is. But it's a little odd….her name sounds familiar to me.

With ten minutes dwindling by, my patience dwindled down to nothing. Really? This girl is probably late due to her own stupidity, but the director? That's intolerable and rude.

Jumping up in excitement, my agent gazed out the window and chirped, "Look they're here!"

Walking in first was the director, Ben. I've worked with him before, but never has he been late; there has to be a reason behind his tardiness. Besides that, he's rather timid and placid. Walking in behind him was… _what_?

"What the hell are you doing here Troublesome?" I blurted out.

Punching my side, my agent scolded me, "Paul, _that's_ Dawn Hikari."

"No shit? Ugh, I'm going to have to compete against you?" I growled.

Scrunching her face up, she faced me and spoke, "You still don't remember my name, Paul? You're so stupid. And yes I am competing against you and I plan for this shoot to be mine."

"You're the stupid one, you came _ten_ minutes late."

Laughing, she replied, "What are you talking about? I'm perfectly on time. You guys just got here ten minutes **early**."

"Whatever," I grumbled.

"Hold on a minute, you two know each other? I actually have an idea. I didn't really want to choose one of you to work with while having to send the other one home; that's not my nature. So I would like the two of you to do the commercial together," Ben said calmly.

_What the hell_? There is no way that I'm working with Troublesome.

"I'm not working with her," I snapped.

"Yeah, well I don't want to work with you," she snapped back.

"Well, that's too bad, because I'm the director and I call the shots. I need both of you or this isn't happening," he said, interjecting into our argument.

With silence taking over, he took that as a yes and continued, "Alright then, I going to leave you two here so can catch up while I talk to Bradley."

Once my agent and Ben left, I retook my place on the loveseat. Sitting down next to me, Troublesome spoke, "What do we talk about?"

"I don't know."

"Well, since we're going to be working together, I think we should practice hand poses or something."

"Fine," I mumbled. I really don't want to work with Troublesome, but I never slack on my job. Everything must be perfect, so if this is the way to perfection, then so be it.

Grabbing my hands, Troublesome started to inspect them.

I'm not sure why, but with her skin touching mine made my mind erupt, made my hormones swell, and made me _hot_. But that is perfectly explainable…..I mean it is summer and the temperature is rather high, so I shouldn't be alarmed by it.

Snapping me out of my thoughts, Troublesome spoke, "Actually I don't really know what he wants from us, sorry. I just really wanted to touch your hands…they looked soft."

Really? How _stupid_. All hand models have soft hands; it's a requirement, a necessity.

Lying back in the loveseat, I blew my bangs out of my face and sighed. Can't we just get this started so we can be done here?

"Hey Paul, do you want to hear a joke?"

"Don't care."

"Okay, so there's this lady picking through the frozen turkeys at the grocery store, but she couldn't fine one big enough for her family. So she asked a stock boy, 'Do these turkeys get any bigger?' The stock boy replied, 'No ma'am, they're dead.'"

Gripping her loveseat, she inched herself closer to me and spoke, "Did you like it?"

"Stupid. Where the hell did you get that joke from?"

Scrunching her nose, she punched me in the arm and continued, "Yeah? Well, do you got any better?"

Smirking, I replied, "Actually, I do. A college teacher reminds her class of tomorrow's final exam. 'Now class, I won't tolerate any excuses for you not being here tomorrow. I might consider a serious injury, illness, or death in your immediate family, but that's it, no other excuses!' A smart ass guy in the back of the room raised his hand and asked, 'What would you say if tomorrow I said I was suffering from complete and utter sexual exhaustion?' The entire class is reduced to laughter and snickering. When silence is restored, the teacher smiles at the student and sweetly says, 'Well, I guess you'd have to write the exam with your other hand.'"

Eyes maximizing in size, she screeched, "EW PAUL!"

Really? Screeching? She is so annoying. We're in our twenties and she can't handle a sexual joke?

"Shut up," I barked.

She was about to reply, but Bradley and Ben had walked back into the room. Speaking, Ben looked at us, "Alright, let's get this started. As you know this is a lotion commercial, but what you don't know is that since it's summer, I want to make this commercial summer themed as well. In which, this means that I will need both of you to get your hands spray tanned since you both are rather white. Any questions?"

"Would it be okay if I get my whole body spray painted? I don't really want just my hand to be tan….it would awkward," Troublesome asked.

"Fine by me. Okay, so the spray tan people are outside. You have ten minutes. In the mean time, I'm going to prepare the lighting, cameras, and set."

Going outside, Troublesome and I got our hands done. After, Troublesome asked for her full body spray tan to which the guy eagerly agreed to. Going back inside, I tensed. Troublesome's naked right now…immediately blushing, I scolded myself for my hormonal thoughts.

Eradicating my thoughts, I walked over to Ben. Handing me the lotion that we're going to advertise, he told me to put some on. Once I was done with the lotion, Troublesome was done with her spray tan. When she had finished applying the same lotion on as I had, Ben spoke, "Okay so for this picture, I want one of Paul's hand to be intertwined with Dawn's while Paul's other hand is holding the product. Then Dawn's other hand needs to be seductively touching the product. Now make sure there's emotion in those hands! We need this picture to be perfect!"

Thinking that this would be rather easy was a _huge _understatement. Well, holding the product and having Troublesome 'touch' the product went smoothly, but intertwining our hands together was nearly _**impossible**_.

"Are you guys shitting me? We have taken dozens of pictures and we can't get one good one because you guys can't properly intertwine you hands together? Are you kidding me? I have other shoots to get to today. These pictures look terrible, now get this right. You guys are professionals, it shouldn't be that hard," Ben growled.

I _am_ a professional, I'm one of the best, but why in the hell can't I touch Troublesome? This is ridiculous. It probably isn't my fault, though. I've been in this industry for years and never had a problem before, it has to be her fault. Looking at Troublesome, I grimaced. This better not ruin my reputation.

After ten additional minutes, things just got worse.

"Ugh, your hands look awkward, out of place, and cramped in all these pictures. Okay, your hands individually look gorgeous, but you have to incorporate that beauty when you two touch each other, okay? You know, let's take a five minutes break. I want you two to touch each other during that period," Ben said, irritation rising in his voice.

Touch each other? Ugh…..shit? Blazing, my cheeks turned red and my mind numbed. Looking at Troublesome, she had the same reaction.

Facing one another, Troublesome and I did nothing.

Hearing Ben yell in frustration behind me, I sighed. I really just want to get this over with. Hearing Ben's _footsteps_ behind me, I…wait…..what?

Not having enough time to process what happening, my lips crashed into Troublesomes. Ben just pushed me into Troublesome….that _bastard_.

However, the feeling, the sensation, her warmth, her lips, her touch…I liked it **a lot**-and that has never happened to me with any girl before.

Falling to the ground, I was on top of Troublesome tackling her with kisses. Returning my infectivity, she curled her arms around my neck to pull me closer. Wanting to go further, I deepened the kiss. Troublesome and I were so involved in our little make-out session that we didn't notice Ben.

"Now THAT'S incorporating beauty into touching each other. Forget the hands, I'm getting a full body picture with the lotion. I'm so glad I did this set too, I thought I wouldn't need it, but it was actually necessary!"

_Snap_.

"Look at that, it's gorgeous! And I know just what the advertisement will say too! 'Touching Each Other Is Fun With Lotion On.' This will be the best summer commercial! I need to hire you two lovebirds more often!"

Simultaneously, Troublesome and I bolted up and yelled, "_**WHAT!" **_


End file.
